The movie poster for this movie cracked up my wife and I. For me, it was the fact that they had to write “Oscar winner” above each of the stars’ names (Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones). It’s always weird when they do that, as these actors didn’t win awards for THIS movie, just previous films. My wife laughed because of how Tommy Lee Jones looked. His face was so airbrushed, there wasn’t a line on his face (in the movie, you see about 85 lines, but hey, he is 77-years-old).
The movie is based on Maggie Betts’ “The Burial” which was a court case in Mississippi in the mid-90s (the movie also feels like a TV movie done in the mid-90s). A well-liked man named Jeremiah O’Keefe (Jones), a former mayor and owner of a few funeral parlors, sued a huge Canadian conglomerate trying to buy a few of his businesses.
And how can you make a film entertaining about a simple contract dispute? Well, you can take a David and Goliath story, and make the lawyer an over-the-top, gospel-loving shyster Willie Gary (Foxx). He brags about his mansion, cars, and jet on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” The overacting made me think of the much better performances by Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall in “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul” from last year.
Since everything about this movie is predictable, we soon see the loud, brash lawyer…bonding and learning from the quiet and humble client, and both men starting to care for each other (I’m guessing this movie will drive Spike Lee to an early grave, no pun intended).
The cast was excellent. Aside from the two “Oscar winners” there was Bill Camp (who was great in “Sound of Freedom” earlier this year) as evil CEO Ray Loewen. Pamela Reed, who I hadn’t seen in years (she’s in one of the most underrated sports movies ever, the mid-80s film “Best of Times” with Kurt Russell and Robin Williams).
Mamoudou Athie does a good job playing a young, smart, dignified attorney handling everything thrown his way.
Alan Ruck (you know him from “Succession,” I know him as Cameron in “Ferris Bueller”) plays a slightly racist good ol’ boy wonderfully.
Jurnee Smollett was over-acting, and it bothers me that she didn’t get backlash for continuing to support her lying, racist brother Jussie Smollett. Speaking of which, sometimes the racial issues in this movie felt forced. It’s more about a big company trying to screw over a little guy, yet some of the players involved are made to be racist.
It’s also odd that both my wife and I were talking about how bizarre some of the courtroom elements were. For example, one witness is questioned about his grandfather being in the KKK (the jury was almost all black). Wouldn’t this be the same way a rape victim isn’t supposed to be asked about her past sexual relationships or any implied promiscuity? Once I got home I Googled, and it turns out this real case is often cited for all the things that were done wrong in the courtroom, and how the judge dropped the ball in many ways. Of course, that doesn’t make for the feel good narrative the filmmakers were going for. And it will be the type of feel good movie audiences will enjoy. I can’t imagine anyone going to see it that doesn’t finish the film with a smile on their face.
It also has the best use of “Tony! Toni! Tone’s ‘Feels Good’” ever, and it gets an extra half star for a dig on O.J. Simpson.
2 ½ stars out of 5.